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At some point over the Thanksgiving holiday, most of us will take a moment to take stock of the many blessings in our lives. Countless residents in the Triangle will likely give thanks to the fine folks at Urban Ministries of Wake County.

The non-profit provides food, transitional housing, medical care, prescription medications, financial assistance and other support services for close to 20,000 families and individuals in Wake County every year.

Anne Burke, the long-time executive director, will be retiring at the end of this month after 26 years at the helm.

Burke joined us last weekend on News & Views to reflect on the growing demands on her organization and the continued need for a strong, social safety net for North Carolina families.

And for those politicians who think of those receiving benefits as “takers” she offers this blunt assessment:

“Have you ever been hungry? Have you ever faced your children across the table, and realized there’s nothing to put on the table to eat? And these are families that live in our community. They live in every community across this country,” said Burke.” And food stamps have become a life line for them, especially in this time of unemployment. And how in the world do expect for someone to live without some protection of unemployment insurance?”

As she prepares to turn over the reins, Burke adds that this holiday she especially thankful for Urban Ministries’ volunteers and the clients she has come to know.

To hear an excerpt of Anne Burke’s interview with Chris Fitzsimon, click below. To hear the full interview or download a podcast, visit the Radio Interview section of the NC Policy Watch website: